Making food a political issue throttles Gaza lives

GAZA

- Michael Jansen, Political Correspondent

In a world where 757 million people face chronic hunger, and 45 million children suffer from wasting due to acute malnutrition, Gaza stands out as unique. War, drought, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are responsible for starvation in other places. Gaza is the only territory where a hostile foreign power illegally occupying Gaza is deliberately depriving the population of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Weaponising food is prohibited under international law.

Last week the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held five days of hearings on how Israel is violating its international legal obligations as the illegal occupier of Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Envoys addressing the hearings focused on Israel's 60-day total blockade, the longest closure Gaza has faced so far.

It is not known when and how aid deliveries will resume. Israelis, reportedly, trying to design a means of delivering food packages directly to Gazan's 2.3 million people. This would ensure Israeli control and exclude the involvement of international aid organisations. They are sharply critical of the two-month blockade and the resumption on March 18th of bombing and ground attacks in Gaza which have killed more than 2,300 and injured 6,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children.

The ICJ hearings, mandated by the UN General Assembly, included submissions from 49 nations and organisations. Among the most telling interventions came from the director of legal affairs at Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry Mohamed Saud Alnasser. He stated, “Less than a year ago, the court heard that Israel's policies and practices in the occupied territory, including its settlement practices, its continued occupation and its annexation of parts of that territory are flagrant violations of international law that must be brought to an end as a matter of urgency.”